By Bruce Pannier Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, the spiritual leader of some 15 million Ismaili Muslims worldwide, died in Portugal on February 4 aged 88. The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) announced the passing of the “49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad” on their website.

The Government has announced a day of national mourning on the funeral of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan on Saturday. According to a Cabinet Division notification, the National Flag shall fly at half-mast throughout the country.

At the age of 20, Prince Karim Al-Hussaini inherited the reins of a Shia Muslim lineage and used his entrepreneurship to become one of the world’s richest hereditary rulers.